New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-31
GAY FLEETS OF YACHTS OUT.
THE SEASON BRILLIANTLY OPENED.
UHE SHAMROCK DISTANCES THE TTTANIA AND THE
GALATEA THE PRISCILLA.


day The waters OF the Harbor, Bay, East and North
Rivers and Sound were almost entirely given up for
ths tine to the immense pleasure fleet, and such
sight was Presented as ia only equalled during the
contests for the Americas Cup. Every yacht which
conld by any possibility be got into condition Tor
sahg was ont with the squadron OF the club to WI ch
1t beloug. The Atlantic, Seawanhaka, Brooklyn,
CoInthian and Pavonia clubs took a spin down the
bay, aud the Knlckerbockei. Larohmont New
Rochelle and East River clubs turned out IN the New
York end of the Sound. All the big boats of course
went down the bay and thousands of people who were
not fortunate enough to be boat-owners or In posses
sion OF invitations to sail watched the great naval
parade from favorable points of observation near
Forts Wadsworth and Hamilton at the Narrows.
There Was little prospect early in ne morning that
any but the boats propelled by steam would leave
their anchorage There absolutely no wind at
O'CLOCK the heat intense and oppressive and the
haze which hung over the water argued well TOR
foS. An hour later all these coalitions were changed.
A light breeze came from south by west, quickly
clearing the atmosphere and carrying away the lower
Ing clou Is which gathering in the east. Yachts
men were happy Ia consequence, and went to work
with Will to prepare Tor the days sport.
The Target Geet was anchored on the clubhouse OF
the Atlantic club in South Brooklyn and the greatest
interest taken III its movements because OF tho
many famous boats OF which it composed
Especially was there desire to see the performances
OF the new secondciass sloop Shamrock, which was
designed snd Is owned by j. Rogers Maxwell, and OF
the Atlantic which has been signify altercu WIN
hope OF making her fit defender CT the Americas
Cup. The clubs boats we're anchored in two lines
parallel with the shoe with the hagship Rover at the
head OF one and the vcecommodores boat at the mead
OF the other. In the lines were the steam yachts
Radha, Fedaina, Lagonda and Electra the schooners
Norma, Southern Cross, Geralia, LeOna, Princess
Grayiing. Fleetwing, ydette Wyvern, Eselle
Norvana and Montauk. and the soops Arab, Sham
rock. Roamer, Athlon Enterprise. Vixen. liildegarde
Nomad, llderan, Stella, Huron, Fannie, Tourist,
Wenoha, Louise, Clean, Bertie, Adelaide, Ariadns
Mischief, Atlantic, Onward, Crocodile, Saracen aud
Merlin.
The ceremony of opening the season at the club
house began AZ 1879 by the hosting of the cOlors on
the Flagstaff and the firing of cannon on shore. The
flag sauted by gun trom each yacht Al
1885 q second gun indicated the time for starting on
the opening SAIL the Tor the yachts OF the rst
seven classes being to and around buoy No. Sl2 OF
Southwest Spit. and tor the smaller boats to ana
around buoy No. II of the West Bank Anchors
came aboard in jihy. jbs and mainailf appeared as
though by magic, and the forty odd yachts moved oil
almost ~ promptly a regiment at the word OF com
lnand The Shamrock well up toward the head
OF the frat line and she got away first The Gracle
Atlantic ana Fanny were not lar away, however, ana
slow display their intention OF putting the
new racer upon her mettle. The tide was making
and the wind was not strong enough to carry them
along a much better than four-knot speed. Tho
big c.stickers carried working tcpsas aud inter-
mediate jb topsas In addition TO their maihsaiis
iibs aud tore staysails but upon getting ini0 the
NarrOws the breeze fresheued and the Shamrock ran
no her small lib top.aii. She vent "a Tar as Fort
Wadswosth the port tack and then went about
The Atlantic, Oracle and Fanny were close ut her
heels in the order named. BIT the bulk OF the fleet
were a quarter OF mile behind The Atlantic tried
hard 10 shake Oh the Oracle and Fanny, but without
success Even the little Fanny gained on the Pride
OF Bay Ridge until she into the heavy swell IN the
lower bay, when she began 70 drop behind Inc
G:acie however. behaved better than ever in rough
water. and getting favorable slant OF VIA shot
ahe Of ld-be defender
The Shamrock was now too tar ahead to be over
hauled. She rounded the turning buoy al lZ:53, Tour
| minutes ahead of the Oracle. which was the some
time ahead OF the Atlantic. The Graying, which was
tar too fast company tor the other schooners Turned
| nj I2:s $50 and the Fanny at 12:o4:2O. MI Max
wells boat had just about got pointed Tor home wheh
the wind which had been constantly increasing In
velocity hauled around from the southwest anu blew
from that direction at the rate OF IRON twenty-five 10
thirty miles an hour II on the Shamrocks star
| board quarter. ann when she replaced the handher,
| chiei on topmast stay with balloon Jo ahu
skinned away from her followers faster than ever:
She was about halt way between the Narrows ana
the Quarantine Hospital islands, when she met the
| Titania &. Oliver Iselin's new sloop, with whicn
she Is matched fifteen miles to the windward
| on July g. and which had been towed across the
upper bay to Stapeton. The captain OF the llama
| recognized this "a good opportunity Tor making
| comparison OF the speed OF tho yachts lie came
| about under the Shamrocks lee quarter and ran up
his balloon jib Pr moment both boats ran slde by
! side Each Carried the same canvass, and with
I splendid breeze everything looked favorable Tor
| close tilt They were not together long, however
mystrrious and drew away from her antagonist
rapidly Up through the Narrows she sped. standing
mp rs stihly as tn" ProVerDial ehureh steeP'e a'o
| when sue over 10 the Atlantic CLUBS anchorage
the litania was nearly quarter OF mile astern
The boats OF the club finished in the following order
Tnrn 5S G 4: 53 G SrHSS 1880
| / 81. Fanny 1850 Nomad 1866 Onward 2:lS. Roamer
2O5:55. Athlon BOG, Jeraa 2:O7, berte 2:lo;59'
| Iildegarde III Adelaide 2;l0:2O, vixen %oI,
! Niryana Z:}33O, Enterprise 2:35, Stella 237, Rover
| 2:4O Ariadue 2:47:O6. Leona PAP.
The only accident that happened was me carrying
away of the tnpmas of the Stella owing to the parting
ot the sstr hooks of the opmast Dreyenter backstay
IA the eet passed through the Narro"s saiute was
| fired from Fort Hamilton and answered from inc
| commodore's boat - ~
| The Seawanhasa clubs boats went to buoy No. 10
aud return There were not many III tue Meet put y
was watced with "a great deal OF attention because OF
the presence OF the Gala'ea aud frreila' IN Inc en-
pany OF the Medusa. lscnlt Cinderella and jua inc
starring gun was fred at i o'clock ana all got away
but the Flagship Priscilla when lot souhe 'r"No
other failed 10 raise her anchor. The Galatea maze
| tack over toward Bay Ridge and was standing III
TOW ard Stapleon again when the frsci'ia GOV unaoa
wAy at ll:lO ard went the starboard tack III 'he
| direction VI BAY Ridge The Galatea went ABOUT anu
| followed when about halt way across tho bay
Lieutenant Hem tackled his boat eviaen,
Commodore Garfield to follow his lead to the Narr0ws
| The Priscilla continued to make for the Long lsIahu
shore, however, and the Galatea came ABOUT again.
She was spelling for race ana was delermlneu 70
have one. The Priscilla acqUesced and at ll:Zo Doth
started on even tor the Lower Bay ne cutter
succeeded In getting shade the adVah'aso u. Po',,'
| into the wind Both stayed on the port tack nntu
OF Font Wadsworth which they passed al lJ;oo WIN
the English boat trhe ahead. Ihey stood on tue
starboard tack over to Fort Hamilton and when they
next came about the Gaatea was well III iront anu
Leean TO gain perceptbly. On each succeeding tack
until the tu.nng point, buoy No 10 was reached the
C,iatea Gained and when she rounded it nearly
mile ahead Coming back before tho wind she con
unued to increase her lead and arrived ut stapetoh
| five minutes before the frischio'
THE KNICKERBoCKER CLUBS REGATTA
The members of the Knlckorbocker Yacht Cluo were
happily disappointed yesterday. so little VIM was
stirring off their clubhouse when the time came Tor
starting their animal regatta that looked impossible
for the thirty five little boats that clustered ABOUT the
line in tho Bronx Kills derive enough power IRON 10
drive them Que OF the harbor much less to propel tem
over the tyenty-mie course to Gangway Buoy ana re-
turn When the gun which signaled the yachts OF the
fifth and sixth classes To start was fred AZ looo " III
,,, ~ than had hepn by the tide below the